Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is being used to transmit voice and/or multimedia phone calls as data packets over an Internet Protocol (IP) network, such as the Internet. In VoIP calling, an originating device, such as an analog telephone adapter, an IP phone or a computer, initiates a phone call by signaling to a central call processor, also referred to as a call processor or softswitch, which sets up the call between the originating device and a destination device using conventional signaling protocols. Once a session is established, packets are sent between the originating device and the destination device using the conventional Internet infrastructure, wherein the packets are routed among multiple routers from the originating device to the destination device.
Unfortunately, it may be possible for a VoIP originating device to transmit packets into the IP network in a manner that is not authorized by the call processor. For example, a specified number of packets, a specified type of packet (voice/multimedia/data) and/or a specified quality of service of packets may be exceeded due to an error in the originating device and/or due to deliberate fraud and/or spoofing by the originating device. When the allocated number, type and/or quality of service is exceeded, the quality of VoIP service provided to other originating devices may be impacted and/or inadequate billing may be generated for the excess packets/quality of service. These issues may be exacerbated in a Virtual Private Network (VPN), wherein VoIP technology is used to provide a specified call volume and/or quality of service among a group of originating and destination devices over an IP network. Again, inadvertent or deliberate overuse of IP network bandwidth can impact the bandwidth that is available to other users, can impact the billing and/or produce other problems for a VoIP network provider.